Vaccination is considered one of the most important public health achievements of the 20th century and continues to offer great promise in the 21st century. Vaccines save lives and improve the quality of life by preventing serious infectious diseases and their consequences. However, the benefits of vaccination are not realized equally across the U.S.population. Adult vaccination rates remain low in the United States, and significant racial and ethnic disparities also exist.

The NAIP is intended to facilitate coordinated action by federal and nonfederal partners to protect public health and achieve optimal prevention of infectious diseases and their consequences through vaccination of adults. The NAIP includes indicators to draw attention to and track progress against core goals. These indicators will measure progress against set standards and inform future implementation and quality improvement efforts.

The plan establishes four key goals, each of which is supported by objectives and strategies to guide implementation through 2020:

Achieving the goals of the NAIP is facilitated by agreement on plan priorities and coordination of the wide range of programs that support them. The Assistant Secretary for Health serves as the director of the National Vaccine Program and will lead the NAIP and its implementation. In support of this mission, NVPO will facilitate collaboration and coordinate the monitoring of progress for the NAIP.